Mass. Statehouse holds moment of silence for Brussels victims

State lawmakers at an event celebrating the cultural ties between France, Canada and Massachusetts paused Wednesday morning to pay respects to the victims of a terrorist attack in Brussels.

A pair of bombs exploded Tuesday morning at an airport in Belgium followed by another explosion at a metro station, killing at least 30 people, according to published reports.

Joining with dignitaries from Canada, Switzerland and France, Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry and Reps. Paul Brodeur and Denise Provost expressed solidarity with the people of Brussels and took part in a moment of silence at the beginning of ceremony promoting the development of the French language hosted by Francophonie Nouvelle-Angleterre.

“As we stand with all those affected and impacted by these atrocities – we pray for the victims and their families because even though we’re here there is an impact to us too,” said Forry, who took part in organizing the event along with Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr’s office.

An aide to Sen. Tarr said the ceremony was scheduled before the attacks.

David Alward, consul general of Canada; Dr. Felix Moesner, Consul et CEO de Swissnex Boston; Jérôme Henry, Consul adjoint de France; and Catheline van den Branden – executive director of The French Cultural Center also participated.

Provost, who began her remarks in French before switching to English, lauded the event for recognizing the connection between cultures and described it as “the antidote to hatred and misunderstanding and hostility everywhere.”